- With the experience of working directly with Indonesian suppliers for teak garden furniture since 2013, we often get asked by customers about care and treatment of their teak outdoor furniture. This series of 3 guides focusses on recommendations for taking care of your teak garden benches, teak garden chairs, and teak garden tables as well as parasols and outdoor cushions during the winter and autumn in the UK.
- Can I leave my teak garden furniture outside all year round?
As a natural material teak, it is an ideal wood for outdoor furniture. The grain construction and naturally occurring oils in teak protect against insects and provides durability against the weather. However as with any natural material it will weather with use and exposure to the environment. During the autumn, and winter months all outdoor furniture, including teak outdoor furniture is likely to weather more than during other times of the year and require less preparation when come to be used again in the Spring (see our teak treatment and Spring preparation blog).
The same is true of your garden parasol, and outdoor garden cushions whose fabric will maintain its colour and durability for longer if stored away over the autumn and winter period. Outdoor cushion filling, whilst man made will keep its shape and comfort for longer if not left outside all year round.
Taking care of outdoor furniture and accessories during Autumn and Winter
There are different ways in which you can take care of your teak garden furniture, parasols, and cushions during the autumn / winter (as well as periods of inclement weather). Here are some of our recommendations if you put your outdoor furniture into storage.
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Storage
Teak Garden Furniture – All wood adapts to its ambient environment, resulting in changes in moisture levels. The ‘settling’ of the wood during this period may result in small surface cracks appearing and the grains opening. All such movement is perfectly natural and may be most noticeable on the end grains of the furniture. Therefore, having used your teak furniture outdoors during the winter, we recommend maintaining an ambient to cool temperature to store your teak garden tables and teak garden chairs and put all items in a dry, unheated building or shed to avoid temperature shocks to the wood.
Parasols – We recommend all parasols are all stored away in a dry location to avoid weathering to the canopy and risk of wind damage to the frame. If possible, return the parasol into the protective box that it was delivered in provides an extra level of protection.
Outdoor Garden Cushions – We recommend that outdoor cushions are stored away in a dry environment to help maintain fabric colour, shape, and comfort for future use. Where possible we recommend placing cushions inside a protective storage bag or box to reduce risk of damp and potential insect damage.
How Field & Hawken Can Help Customers Protect Garden Furniture During the Winter
Aerocover Range at Field & Hawken
At Field & Hawken we stock the outstanding Aerocover range for outdoor furniture, parasols, and cushions. Available in a huge range of options for most teak garden furniture, rattan garden furniture and outdoor accessories each cover comes with a 2-year guarantee as standard.
The Aerocover range waterproof and breathable material technology means that it is the only range of outdoor furniture covers and cushion bags that we have ever made available to our customers on our website.
Delivered in just 2 working days, find the whole range at Garden Furniture Covers | Outdoor Furniture Covers | Field & Hawken (fieldandhawken.co.uk)
Treatment
Any treatment for teak should allow the wood to breathe whilst enhancing its natural weather resistance properties and natural beauty. Burgess Hydrosol Woodsealer is “once a season” treatment and is a non-toxic, non-flammable alternative to teak oil or other treatments. Also used on marine vessels it protects against UV and water degradation and provides a matt appearance allowing the wood to breath.
Delivered in just 2 working days, find the whole range at Teak Woodsealant Treatment Non Toxic – 1 Litre Bottle – Field & Hawken (fieldandhawken.co.uk)
